Statutory Interpretation in the United States

Statutory Interpretation

United States Constitution

According to the Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, about its article titled STATUTORY INTERPRETATION: Much has been written of the circumstances under which courts should strike down legislation. The reluctance of Article III courts to strike down interest group legislation as unconstitutional finds its source in two seemingly irreconcilable components of American(read mo re about Constitutional law entries here).

Courts: The Most Important Audience

This section provides information about Courts: The Most Important Audience .

What Kind of Judge?

This section provides information about What Kind of Judge? .

Judicial Power and Legislative Supremacy

This section provides information about Judicial Power and Legislative Supremacy .

The Power to Interpret

This section provides information about The Power to Interpret .

Making Congress Follow the Techniques

This section provides information about Making Congress Follow the Techniques .

Tensions between Courts and Congress over Interpretation

This section provides information about Tensions between Courts and Congress over Interpretation .

Efforts by Congress to Regulate Interpretation

This section provides information about Efforts by Congress to Regulate Interpretation .

The Overriding Goal: Determine the Intent of Congress

This section provides information about The Overriding Goal: Determine the Intent of Congress .

Rules of Thumb, Not Rules of Law

This section provides information about Rules of Thumb, Not Rules of Law .

Three Common Theories (Intentionalism, Textualism, and Pragmatism) and Their Limitations

This section provides information about Three Common Theories (Intentionalism, Textualism, and Pragmatism) and Their Limitations .

The Plain Meaning Rule

This section provides information about The Plain Meaning Rule .

The Meaning of “Plain Meaning”

This section provides information about The Meaning of “Plain Meaning” .

The Consequences of Plain Meaning

This section provides information about The Consequences of Plain Meaning .

When Plain Meaning Is Not Enforced

This section provides information about When Plain Meaning Is Not Enforced .

When There Is No Plain Meaning

This section provides information about When There Is No Plain Meaning .

Reading the Text of the Statute

This section provides information about Reading the Text of the Statute .

Reading the Text of the Statute

This section provides information about Reading the Text of the Statute .

Derive Meaning from Context

This section provides information about Derive Meaning from Context .

Assume Words Are Used Consistently

This section provides information about Assume Words Are Used Consistently .

Assume Each Word Is Used for a Reason

This section provides information about Assume Each Word Is Used for a Reason .

Assume the Provisions Form a Coherent Whole

This section provides information about Assume the Provisions Form a Coherent Whole .

Purposes, Findings, Titles, and Headings

This section provides information about Purposes, Findings, Titles, and Headings .

Grammar and Punctuation

This section provides information about Grammar and Punctuation .

Placement in Code

This section provides information about Placement in Code .

Considering Other Statutes

This section provides information about Considering Other Statutes .

Related Statutes

This section provides information about Related Statutes .

General Federal Laws

This section provides information about General Federal Laws .

Earlier Versions of the Same Statute

This section provides information about Earlier Versions of the Same Statute .

Resolving Conflicts between Statutes

This section provides information about Resolving Conflicts between Statutes .

Considering Constitutional Issues

This section provides information about Considering Constitutional Issues .

Avoiding Serious Constitutional Problems

This section provides information about Avoiding Serious Constitutional Problems .

When the Court Requires Clear Statements

This section provides information about When the Court Requires Clear Statements .

When the Court Requires Specific Findings

This section provides information about When the Court Requires Specific Findings .

Actions by the President and Other Executive Officers

This section provides information about Actions by the President and Other Executive Officers .

Presidential Signing Statements

This section provides information about Presidential Signing Statements .

Agency Interpretation and Chevron Deference

This section provides information about Agency Interpretation and Chevron Deference .

Actions by the Congress and Other Legislative Officers

This section provides information about Actions by the Congress and Other Legislative Officers .

Interpretation of Appropriations Acts

This section provides information about Interpretation of Appropriations Acts .

Legislative History: Why It Is Problematic

This section provides information about Legislative History: Why It Is Problematic .

Legislative History Compared with Post-Enactment Statements

This section provides information about Legislative History Compared with Post-Enactment Statements .

Legislative History Compared with Subsequent Legislative History

This section provides information about Legislative History Compared with Subsequent Legislative History .

Report Language

This section provides information about Report Language .

Individual Statements

This section provides information about Individual Statements .

Hearing Testimony

This section provides information about Hearing Testimony .

Amendatory History

This section provides information about Amendatory History .

The Opinion of the Drafter

This section provides information about The Opinion of the Drafter .

Some Topics of Special Interest to Drafters

This section provides information about Some Topics of Special Interest to Drafters .

Definitions and Terms of Art

This section provides information about Definitions and Terms of Art .

Narrow Interpretations and Broad Interpretations

This section provides information about Narrow Interpretations and Broad Interpretations .

Congress Does Not Mumble

This section provides information about Congress Does Not Mumble .

How the Court Interprets a List

This section provides information about How the Court Interprets a List .

The Court’s Reluctance to Imply Additional Exceptions

This section provides information about The Court’s Reluctance to Imply Additional Exceptions .

Statutory Interpretation (Standards of Review)

This section introduces, discusses and describes the basics of statutory interpretation. Then, cross references and a brief overview about Standards of Review is provided. Finally, the subject of Judicial Review in relation with statutory interpretation is examined. Note that a list of cross references, bibliography and other resources appears at the end of this entry.